Leo Laurens | |
---|---|
Personal information | |
Nickname | "The Lion of Antwerp" |
Born | 30 July 1952 Antwerp, Belgium |
Home town | Itegem, Belgium |
Darts information | |
Playing darts since | 1972 |
Darts | 21g |
Laterality | Right-handed |
Walk-on music | "Good Times" by Jimmy Barnes and INXS |
Organisation (see split in darts) | |
BDO | 1988–1999 |
WDF major events – best performances | |
World Ch'ship | Quarter Finals: 1997 |
World Masters | Last 32: 1988, 1993, 1995 |
Other tournament wins | |
Tournament | Years |
Belgium Gold Cup Belgium National Championship Antwerp Open Dutch Open French Open North Holland Open | 1988, 1993, 1996 1989, 1990, 1992 1990 1990, 1992 1992 1995 |
Leo Laurens (born 30 July 1952) is a Belgian former professional darts player who competed in British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. At the end of 1993, he was number one in the WDF world rankings after all of the BDO's top players broke away to form the World Darts Council (now the Professional Darts Corporation, PDC). Despite his new accolade, Laurens never won a major title.
Laurens made his World Championship debut in 1989, losing in the first round to American Rick Ney. He returned a year later, beating Canada's Bob Sinnaeve, [1] before losing to Mike Gregory. His best performance came in 1997, where he reached the quarter-finals after beating Ritchie Davies and Richie Burnett. He lost to reigning champion Steve Beaton. Laurens also holds the record for most 180's scored in a first-round match at the World Championship, with nine, although John Henderson holds the record for a best of 5 sets match with 12.
He also played in the Winmau World Masters in 1988, 1993, and 1995, losing in the first round on each occasion.
Steve Beaton is an English former professional darts player. He won the BDO World Darts Championship in 1996 and is a former World No. 1.
Roland Scholten is a Dutch former professional darts player who played in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO). Nicknamed The Tripod and The Flying Dutchman, Scholten turned full-time professional in 2001 having previously worked as a publican. Despite his Dutch nationality, Scholten speaks with a strong English accent having lived in Peterborough for several years. His considerable height and throwing technique meant his darts hit the board at a considerably narrow angle.
Dennis Priestley is an English former professional darts player. He won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively. He was nicknamed "The Menace", after the Beano character Dennis the Menace, and reflected this by wearing red and black and using red and black flights.
Robert Charles Anderson is an English former professional darts player who won the 1988 BDO World Darts Championship. Nicknamed The Limestone Cowboy, He was the World No. 1 player for over three years in the late 1980s. "In supporting the Limestone hills of Wiltshire Anderson also worked in a quarry for a number of years. Making him the only Limestone Cowboy in the South of the UK"
Martin Atkins is an English professional darts player. His nickname is The Assassin.
The 1993 Embassy World Darts Championship was the 16th staging of the competition, and it turned out to be the last time that the sport had a unified World Championship. In 1994 following a breakaway the PDC staged its own World Championship for the first time.
Richard Mark Burnett, nicknamed Prince of Wales, is a Welsh professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is a former World No. 1 who won the 1995 Embassy World Darts Championship. Burnett is known for coming on to "Dakota" and dancing on stage. He is also known for his fiery personality, fighting with Adrian Lewis on stage during the 2012 Players Championship Finals.
Michael Seward Gregory was an English professional darts player, best remembered as the runner-up to Phil Taylor in the 1992 Embassy World Darts Championship final, which went to a tiebreak final leg and is regarded as one of the greatest matches in darts history.
Dave Askew is a former English professional darts player who competed from 1988 to 2010 in events of the British Darts Organisation (BDO) and Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). He is a two-time semi-finalist of the PDC World Championship, losing to eventual winner Phil Taylor on both occasions.
Jacobus Wilhelmus "Co" Stompé is a Dutch former professional darts player. He was nicknamed The Matchstick because of his almost bald head and very thin appearance, making him look like a matchstick. He was also one of very few professionals who played in longsleeved shirts.
Jamie Harvey is a Scottish former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) tournaments. Originally nicknamed “The Tartan Terror” he later used the nickname Bravedart for his matches – a play on the lead character from the film Braveheart. As darts began to introduce entrance tunes for its players during the 1990s, Harvey used to come to stage whilst the tune "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" was played.
Scott Waites is an English professional darts player who plays in tournaments of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). He is a two-time BDO World Darts Champion having won the 2013 tournament and 2016 tournament. He is also a former Winmau World Masters champion, WDF World Cup singles' champion, Zuiderduin Masters champion. He also won the 2010 Grand Slam of Darts, becoming the only BDO representative to win the event.
Jan van der Rassel is a Dutch former professional darts player. He used the nicknames The Project and Rassel Dazzle for his matches.
Stephen Coote is an English former professional darts player. He won the German Open in 1999. He is not a full-time professional and works as a fireman.
Magnus Caris is a Swedish former professional darts player who competed in British Darts Organisation (BDO) and Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.
Bert Vlaardingerbroek is a Dutch former professional darts player who competed in events of the British Darts Organisation (BDO), Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), and World Darts Federation (WDF).
Wayne Dirk Weening is an Australian former professional darts player who competed in the 1980s and 1990s.
Bob Taylor is a Scottish former professional darts player who played in the British Darts Organisation (BDO).
David Richardson-Page is an English former professional darts player who played in British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. He was nicknamed Rocky and The Teeth.
David Lee is an English former professional darts player who competed in British Darts Organisation (BDO) events in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.